Lachlan Tigers

Lachlan Tigers

Well at each gate each shearer stood as the whistle loudly blewWith eyebrows fixed and lips set tight and the tigers all fed tooYou can hear the clicking of the shears as through the wool they glideAnd see the ringer already turned and on the whipping side

A lot of Lachlan tigers it's plain to see they areAnd the ringer goes on driving as he loudly calls for tarTar here you dozy loafer and quick the tar boy fliesBroom here and sweep those locks away another loudly cries

The scene it is a lively one and ought to be admiredThere's never been a better board since Jacky Howe expiredAlong the board the contractor walks his face all in a frownAnd passing by the ringer he says my lad keep down

I mean to have those bellies off and topknots too likewiseMy eye is quick so none of your tricks or from me you will flyMy curse on that contractor by flaming day and nightTo shear a decent tally here in vain I've often tried

I have a pair of Ward and Paine's that are both bright and newI'll rig them up and let you see what I can really doFor I've shore on the Bogan where they shear them by the scoreBut such a terror as this to clip I've never shore before

A lot of Lachlan tigers it's plain to see they areAnd the ringer goes on driving as he loudly calls for tarThe scene it is a lively one and ought to be admiredThere's never been a better board since Jacky Howe expired

From Dr Percy Jones's collection.

The Lachlan river runs through some of the best sheep raising areas ofwestern NSW. To this region came the tigers of the shearing trade, the biggun shearers. This song pays tribute to their skill. Calling "tar" was notsomething you shouted out too loudly, according to Duke Tritton. The tarwas to stop the bleeding when a sheep was cut while being shorn.The same tune is used for 'The Station Cook' and 'The Great Northern Line'one of Sally Sloane's songs. The tune is from the Scottish song'Musselburgh Fair'.From the singing of A.L.Lloyd. MG